A Vending Hand

You can buy anything from a vending machine: cell phones, DVDs, Condoms. But in Redlands, city officials are opting for using such devices to dispense needed items—such as medical supplies or shovels—quickly and affordably. The city traded in its old warehouse full of dust-covered fasteners, safety gear and floppy discs—yes, they had floppy discs in stock—for a much simpler, more efficient delivery system, making Redlands’ Automated Supply Store the first in the nation. Fastenal—which has a store in San Bernardino—installed 42 vending machines of various sizes and shapes are available to authorized city employees 24/7. Officials with Fastenal, however, warn city employees from banging on the vending machines when the shovel gets stuck.